18 Best Self Love Books 2023

If the subtitle to this one doesn’t make you want to read it, nothing we say is going to either. But if the brain that brought us Grey’s Anatomy (among many others) can spend a year saying yes, the rest of us can definitely learn a thing or two from this recounting of what happened when she did.

This book isn’t about quick fixes, empty platitudes or easy solutions. It’s about setting yourself on a path toward changing — because if there’s one thing that’s certain in this world, it’s uncertainty. It’s for anyone who wants to embrace self-love, in everything that embodies.

It’s so easy to get stuck in survival mode, just getting through one day, then the next, then the next, on and on until forever. This collection of lessons, reflections and exercises helps you break out of unhelpful patterns and get started on the path toward our best selves.

If you’re the kind of person who’s convinced you have a brain tumor every time you get a headache (guilty as charged) this book will help you dial that down and remind yourself that you’re just fine as you are.

Boost your self-esteem, realize (and embrace) your worth and learn how to identify and enact goals that are uniquely yours with this insightful workbook. It’s got interactive activities, actionable advice and thoughtful prompts to help lead you down the path toward self-love.

If you’re new to the idea of self-love and need a road map to follow, Shannon Kaiser’s 15 principles of self-love will get you started down the right path. Kaiser is an international life coach and speaker who was named one of the “top 100 women to watch in wellness” by Mind Body Green.

This interactive journal offers exercises that’ll help you determine where you are in your self-love journey and guide you along the way. Find uplifting prompts like, “List five things that always, and immediately, bring a smile to your face.” Go ahead, treat yourself to a fancy new pen for writing in it.

So often our self-worth gets wrapped up in our romantic relationships. The writers of this book, who studied Christian mysticism and Buddhism respectively, offer a spiritually-focused way to untangle the two.

If you’re more of a facts-and-figures person, check out this book by David R. Hamilton, a scientist who worked in the pharmaceutical industry for four years before becoming interested in the biology of self-love. He delved into biochemistry and neuroscience research and developed 27 exercises meant to reprogram the brain.

Gala Darling has been teaching self-love for more than a decade, and she’s put her findings into a book that comes with homework assignments to keep you accountable for your own self-love goals. Before the book, she was one of the co-founders of The Blogcademy, so she also offers insights into her path to success.

If you need your advice in more of the hard-talk, straight-truth mode, author Gary John Bishop pulls no punches when telling you how to get out of your own way. Bishop, who grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, describes his brand of self-help as more of an “urban philosophy” approach.

This book gives you one small thing to do each day — Keep a master list of joys! Stop comparing yourself to others! — that, taken together, make up a 365-day plan for self-love. Each task is quick, so you have no excuse not to work on yourself.

Bruce Alan Kehr, M.D., an award-winning psychiatrist who’s been in practice for 40 years, has seen it all throughout his career. His book focuses more on overcoming past pain as a way to build up your self-esteem.

That voice in your head, giving you all of your self-doubts? That’s your inner mean girl, and author/speaker Melissa Ambrosini tells you how to get her to quiet down. And if Amrbosini’s advice resonates with you, you can also check out her podcast, which covers topics like “Be Thankful for the Small Stuff” and “Choose Love and Joy.”